


Light from Shadows

by scarletsptember



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Language, M/M, Slash, Supernatural Elements, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-29
Updated: 2011-07-29
Packaged: 2017-10-21 22:18:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/230467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scarletsptember/pseuds/scarletsptember
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The madness of the Region’s King slowly drives Jared from his home Region of Houston to the Region of New Orleans. As one of the rarest weres, Jared knows to tread lightly around other supernaturals, especially vampires.<br/>In New Orleans, Jared finds out he’s sharing home with the resident protector and vampire: Jensen Ackles.  Through his first moons and the helpful hand o</p>
            </blockquote>





	Light from Shadows

The Beginning

Jared gripped his pack tight around his shoulders and tilted his face up towards the bright morning sun. He took a deep breath of the air around him and he waited as another set of shoes descended the stairs inside before joining him on out on the porch. He felt his beast rise in excitement at the sight of his companion; he remembered running with the shorter man last night. Their paws padding across warm Texas soil and the playful growls and purrs from the tiger that was contained in the compact blonde next to him.  
“Someone had a good moon last night.”  
Jared grinned at the snarky tone before he glanced out the corner of his eye and nodded. He watched as Matt toed at the ground with a scuffed Converse before he scented the emotions warring in him. Matt was anxious about something, “Good to hear it.”  
“What has you so edgy Matt?” Jared ran his hands along the back of Matt’s neck tangling in the messy blonde locks before he started to walk. “What are you not telling me?”  
“King Leo is stopping by tonight,” Matt looked everywhere but at Jared. “It might be better if you actually stayed out late for once. It’s not the brightest of ideas and it won’t be safe but he’s been nosing around the house a lot more than usual. Maybe this once it’ll be better if you did stay out, away from the house. You know?”  
“Everyone thinks him stopping by has something to do with me,” Jared licked his lips before stopping in the middle of the sidewalk. Jared toed at the ground, ignoring the bustle of people passing them by. “Because of what I am compared to what everyone else is.”  
Matt wrapped his hand around Jared’s wrist, trying to put a stop to the way Jared was thinking as Jared tried to disappear into the crowd. “What you are is something special, Jared. Every cat is different from the other weres out there but with you? You are extraordinary. People can go their entire lifetime without setting eye or even hearing about your kind. Because that’s how rare you are and it’s down right terrifying to some but you are something amazing. So having the king stop by just after a full moon is strange but not all that unexpected.”  
“I’m nothing special, not really. So why?” Jared quirked a brow as he started walking. “He doesn’t stop at any of the wolves’ houses after the moon. We go drink his special elixir of coffee this morning after shifting back just like his wolves but does he bother them? No, he only hangs around the cats.”  
“It doesn’t make sense but he’s not right. Like in the head. He hasn’t been right for a long time,” Matt shrugged. “I just wanted to warn you what was going to be happening when you got home after your last class.”  
“Be careful,” Jared called out as he and Matt separated. “With him stopping by, even if it is because of me doesn’t sound like it’ll be good for any of us. So get in before dark.”  
“You too,” Matt grinned over his shoulder, “Never know when the vampires will bite.”  
~*~

It was late when Jared started back home from class. His fingers curled tighter around the straps of his backpack with every step he took. He shouldn’t have listened to Matt. Deep down every were knew better than to be out after dark in Houston. Over the past year, things had gotten strange. Vampires had begun attacking weres and drinking them dry, only to leave the bodies to be found by the human half of the world. Being out after dark in human form was a risk that he shouldn’t have taken, especially after hearing that King Leo had been sniffing around the house, but he had had lost track of time.  
Standing at the end of the driveway, the air seemed wrong. It was colder and he felt his beast pacing inside him as Jared registered the quiet. There wasn’t even the sound of crickets or mosquitoes humming in his ears. Staring up at the house, he finally registered what he was feeling. He felt alone. He felt alone. Jared never felt alone. His beast could always sense the rest of his make-shift pack and now there was nothing but an empty ache in his chest. Jared felt himself moving faster. He was running towards the house that should have been alive with sounds and laughter but it was so quiet it terrified him.  
A sudden blow to the back of his head knocked the air from his chest, sending Jared sprawling across the ground. He fell hard and the loose gravel dug deep into his skin as he rolled onto his stomach throwing his hands up to cover his head. He took a deep breath trying to understand what was happening and hoping to scent whoever it was attacking him.  
Immediately, the smell of fear permeated the air and the scent of blood sifted through his nose. He opened his eyes and he saw flashes of pale skin just before the stench of corpses, incense and coffee filled his nostrils. Jared could feel his beast rising to the surface clawing to get free.  
A hand dug into his hair yanking his head back exposing his throat to every creature itching to get a taste of the rarest of the rare. A black werepanther. A pair of lips settled at Jared’s ear, “Calm your beast Jared or I will take more drastic measures. Just ask the rest of your house mates, as hard as they fought I still got to taste of each and everyone of them.”  
The hot breath that ghosted across the bridge of Jared’s nose had him crying out. He could taste their blood on the back of his tongue. He could smell their pain and how much they fought, how much they suffered at their King’s hands. “They tasted like heaven and they weren’t even as pure as you are. I can only wonder how you’re going to taste, a black panther instead of the filth of a tiger. There is so much power in such a lithe form.”  
Jared felt a growl rumble low in his chest with the way the King had wrapped around him. The vampire’s arms were tight across his chest with a hand moving slowly down along the thin cotton of his shirt as Jared kneeled on the ground. Jared bared his teeth when he felt the frigid finger tips of the vampire slip beneath the fabric and trace taunting patterns along the fragile skin of his belly. The growl rumbled up from deep within his chest and turned into a full fledged roar when the King’s fingers dipped below his waistband. Anger fueled the fire in his chest when the King laughed at his struggle and the cool grip tightened in his hair and across belly. Jared could feel the beast tearing underneath his skin, pulling at every shred of his humanity to get to the surface and fight where the human couldn’t. Jared jerked and twisted before the hand on his belly moved and his wrists were pinned behind his back.  
“Now Jared,” There was a nip right at his ear causing him to fight even harder against the iron vise grip the vampire had on him, ignoring the crack along the ever-tightening grip on his wrist and the laughter he received from his actions. He needed to get free no matter what the cost. “You need to just stop fighting.”  
Jared felt the air rush across his skin as his face collided violently against the pavement. His vision swam as he struggled to move. His palms slid against the loose gravel as he rolled on to his back fighting for the air he couldn’t breathe. The voice was far away as it reached his ears, he could feel himself being moved. He grappled with the hands clenched along the collar of his shirt. The tightening fabric made it harder to breathe, harder to stop what was happening. “You were always meant to be mine. From the first moment you changed. Your scent, do you know how amazing you really are?”  
Hurried footsteps were muffled against the struggle between Jared and King Leo, but the smell of another vampire approaching wasn’t. The stench moved with the breeze choking Jared  
“Let him go, Leo.”  
Jared barely caught a glimpse at the newest vampire. His fist were clenched closed, his eyes a jet black as the breeze slipped through dark locks. The only thought in Jared’s mind now was that there was no way he was going to survive tonight. There were too many vampires.  
“You’ve already done enough damage to the entire Region tonight by your actions. You don’t want to do any more by killing Jared. You let him go now or it isn’t going to end well for you.”  
“He is mine Isaac!” The snarl was close to Jared’s ear and his entire body jerked tighter against Leo’s from the force of it. “I deserve to have him after watching him for so long.”  
“You deserve nothing,” Isaac hissed.  
Jared felt pressure along his chest and his stomach. The pressure was intense and cut off what little air he was managing to suck in. He couldn’t breathe and his beast was growing frantic underneath his skin. Bursting to get out and fight for the helpless human that was in control. Jared let his fingers slip over the vampires, curling and tugging while he met Isaac’s piercing black eyes pleading for help.  
Leo let Jared go, turning the werecat in his arms misunderstanding Jared’s weak touches. “I knew you’d understand. That you would see it my way.”  
“Don’t do this,” Isaac warned Leo as he moved closer. His muscles tensed, the lines on his face etched out of fear and worry.  
Jared swallowed down as much air as he could before he reared back and slammed his forehead against the open mouth of the King of Houston. He felt a fang crunch under the force of the butt and he let out a satisfied growl, ignoring the warmth trickling down the bridge of his nose. “I will never be yours.”  
The King’s eyes turned feral and he moved faster than Jared had ever anticipated. Within seconds he could feel the blood dripping from his nose, a tantalizing treat for the vampire just waiting to be tasted. The pain seared all the way down the base of his skull to his spine.  
“You don’t get to touch me!” Leo was in his face snarling as his hands curled around Jared’s throat. Each second that passed Jared felt the vampires grip tighten. “You don’t have the right. You’re nothing but a filthy creature!”  
Jared clawed at the grip along his throat, sucking in any amount of air that he could manage. He looked up at the blood spattered face of the King of Houston as the grip on his throat grew tighter with every passing moment. Closing his eyes, Jared gave in and waited for everything to be over with.  
The King licked the spattering of blood off his lips with a serene smile, “It didn’t have to go this far. You just had to agree to be mine and you could live.”  
Jared clenched his eyes closed tighter when his face was jerked upwards and the grip on his throat loosened. He could smell the blood of every life that had been taken wafting in the wind. He could taste it on the back of his tongue with every word that had been spoken.  
“Look at me when I talk to you, Jared.” The words were spoken against his lips making Jared jerk backwards, his beast snarling in disgust. “You can stop this!”  
“You killed them all,” Jared struggled to get out. He watched as Isaac moved towards them. He could smell the fear wafting off of Isaac. The vampire wasn’t strong enough to take on a King. No matter how brave he was coming here, Jared was still going to die. “I will never be yours.”  
“You will!” The pale fingers gripped tighter along his jaw as he leaned in to press his lips against Jared’s ear, “There is only one of you left and I am the King of this Region. I will get what I want Jared. I always do.”  
Jared could feel the fangs against his skin, he could feel his beast tearing to get out of his skin but the moon was too far away to offer any help. Jared rolled his eyes towards the sky and thought about how his beast had betrayed him. It had left him here to die at the hands of a vampire. His eyes shifted from hazel to bright yellow. Isaac was mere steps away, his adrenaline spiked and the vampire was ready to fight. In flash of movement, Jared knew he wasn’t going to die without a fight. He struggled to break free as another set of hands slipped past him and gripped the pale neck of the King.  
The prick of fangs pressed against his skin accompanied by a searing white hot pain tore that through his neck and all Jared could seem to focus as he slipped from the hands of the King and to the pavement was how beautiful the stars were tonight. It didn’t matter how hard it was to becoming for him to breathe. It didn’t matter anymore. Nothing did.  
Not the blurs of color that were fighting beside him, nor the fact that a vampire had come to his rescue. All that mattered was how peaceful everything was starting to become underneath the swirl of bright stars and blood loss.  
A thump sounded beside him and warm drenched his abdomen. A bloodied face entered his line of view and a set of hands pressed hard against the wound on his throat causing his vision to go black.  
“Jared, stay with me,” Isaac sounded like he was a million miles away. Jared ignored the soothing voice, his eyes rolled towards the house he had lived in for so long. He didn’t care anymore. He just wanted to go to sleep. He wanted to see Matt again. He wanted to run with the rest of his the family one last time. “I’m sorry for what I’m about to do but it’s necessary to keep you alive.”  
Jared felt the burn entering his bloodstream. His entire world shifted before everything in him was fighting against this new presence. It wasn’t right. He felt his beast fighting tooth and nail at this new something that was flowing through his veins. He knew that both he and the beast caged inside his body right now agreed on one thing. They wanted to be gone from this world.

 

Chapter One

 

 

Jared stepped through the doorway of his new home. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. His fingers curled tighter along the tennis ball in his hand as he took in all the scents of the house. It smelled of Cyprus, moss, dust, and night. Jared could feel his beast purr in appreciation, acceptance of where they now were. No other were had made this their home yet. For once he had something that was his, completely and truly his.  
“Jeff said you’d probably like the place,” Jared’s blonde escort trudged up the stairs and into the house with some of Jared’s bags in hand. He grinned wide when he spotted the now familiar yellow tennis ball in Jared’s hand and he let the bags drop to the floor.  
“It’s perfect.” Jared offered.  
“I can tell,” He chuckled. “You’re practically purring man.”  
Jared dropped the tennis ball and let it bounce up into the palm of his hand as he moved across the foyer. He let his eyes drop closed and he continued to move around the room with slow steps. The open space made his beast happy. The living room was large and connected to the kitchen and dining area. Jared trailed his fingertips along the granite counter top and he could already picture himself sitting at the bar with his papers scattered about.  
There were windows in every room. Windows that almost covered space from ceiling to floor letting light and warmth cover the floor before them. There was so much space and it was all his.  
“You’re going to love it here man.” The words were softly spoken across the living room but Jared could hear them clearly in the kitchen. “Why ever you’re here instead of back in Texas doesn’t really matter. Not here at least. We’re all a little damaged or crazy. I’ve been told on several occasions that it takes a special kind of person to live in this part of the world.”  
Jared tossed the ball over towards his companion and felt his lips curl upwards in amusement when the blonde let out a yip before catching it. “It takes a special kind of person to live anywhere, Chad.”  
“Do your best to remember that man,” Chad grinned as he held the ball in his fingertips before he threw it back towards Jared. “Let’s get the rest of your stuff out of the truck and then you can drive me across the lake and to meet the King of N’awlins.”  
Jared rolled his eyes at the exaggerated accent but nodded as he headed out to the truck ready to get the day over with. There was too many politics involved with visiting or even changing regions when you were a supernatural. It got worse the more you were potentially worth to a King or a Queen. The rarer the species of supernatural the more they wanted you. If you added the potential income you could bring in to the region it just made it all the better.  
“So why is it so important that the King meets you tonight?” Chad asked when he shouldered a box and headed back towards the house. “Normally he’s all, ‘let them settle in’. With you it’s, ‘bring him to meet me tonight.’ What’s up with that?”  
Jared quirked a brow at the way Chad mimicked the King’s voice. It went from relaxed to gruff and Jared just shrugged in response.  
“Yeah and what’s up with that? I mean come on! This mysterious act that you’ve got going on is killing me man!” Chad rested his elbows against the bed of the truck. His nose scrunched up. “We always get visitors requesting permission to be in the Region. That’s nothing new but really? But having a whole house to your self? Who are you really? The new Region assassin? I heard the last one got killed. Apparently he wasn’t too good at his job.”  
Jared snorted as he shoved one of the last boxes in Chad’s hands and he headed back towards the house with his own.  
“Such a chatter box,” Chad shook his head as he set the box down on the floor and spun around the foyer with a grin. “I know what you are!”  
Jared raised a brown waiting for Chad’s answer and got nothing. “Okay I don’t know but I’ll figure it out. Eventually. At least I have you narrowed down to some kind of a were because of the whole issue with sunlight.”  
Jared snorted and pushed a few boxes towards the kitchen when he heard the soft whistle of keys flying through the air and he turned to grab them before they smacked him on the back.  
“Ah hah!” Chad yelled, “You’re a bat!”  
“Right,” Jared rolled his eyes, “What are you?”  
“Wolf,” Chad bared his teeth mimicking a snarl before he grinned. “Come on. Let’s go meet the big bad vampire of New Orleans. He’s going to love that I got you here in one piece. He thinks I’m useless on the best of days.”

Jared stood by side with Chad staring up at the green and white decorations that adorned the open air café. His eyes went wide with the amount of people that were sitting at the tables.  
“Don’t knock it. The beignets are awesome and there’s something about the colors that draws the tourists in. It’s great money for supernatural creatures that never sleep at night.” Chad shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans and squinted up at the sunset just behind Jared before he shouldered his way passed a crowed that had gathered just beyond the tables forcing Jared to follow him.  
Jared followed close behind the werewolf not wanting to be swallowed into the crowd when he smelled it. The mix of werewolf and what smelled like rats. It was so intense it filled his nostrils and all the way to the back of his throat. Jared grabbed the back of Chad’s hoodie, “This isn’t a normal meet and greet, is it?”  
Chad gave an apologetic smile before he spotted a table and made a run for it, “It’s not. It’s more like a smell and greet. To let everyone know you’re a friendly, not invading territory and King Morgan likes you. It’s to let them know that you are now considered to be one of us.”  
Jared nodded and swallowed down the anxiety that rose with every second that the sun dipped lower in the sky. His fingers curled into his palms as he tried to keep himself calm beneath the scrutiny of the other supernaturals in the café as he sat across from Chad. He closed his eyes, taking slow breaths which only served to make everything worse.  
Something rolled across the table and bumped against his fingers. Jared looked down and his fingers were automatically curling around the rough surface of the tennis ball. He felt his heartbeat slowing in his chest. He met Chad’s worried eyes and bit down on his lip. “You left it in the truck. Figured you might need it with all this going on. Anyways, you’ll be whisked away soon, by either Jensen or Steve. It all depends on if Jennybean is back or not.”  
Jared nodded and froze when two brown paper bags full of beignets and two coffees appeared in front of them. Chad dug in with a muffled thanks and Jared followed suit to keep his mind free of the worry of what could happen. Jared listened as Chad continued with powdered sugar on his lips and nose, “Anyways, they’re good guys, Jensen and Steve. They’ll tell you what to expect and how to act with the King. Yadda, yadda. You know all the usual bull shit.”  
“Sure we will,” A man in shorts and a Saints sweatshirt with long blonde hair held back with a dark pair of sunglasses stood with his arms cross over his chest. “I see you got Jared here in one piece.”  
“Yeah and I fed him too!” Chad pointed to the half-eaten bag of beignets on the table.  
Steve smirked at Chad before turning to look at Jared, “You ready to meet King Morgan?”  
“Do I have a choice?” Jared asked and it got a squawk from Chad.  
“Dude, he just walks up and you talk to him but I have to ride with you in a car for how many hours? Help you unload boxes and buy you heaven at your fingertips to get you to say a few words to me. Not fair!”  
Steve let out a bark of laughter as Jared stood up with a shrug. “I’ll let the King know you got him here in one piece, man.”  
“Hey!” Chad stood up spilling powdered sugar across the table, “Jennybean and Chris done with his place yet?”  
“No, they’re still working on it. How’d you even hear about it?”  
“Jenny had some prime real estate and all of a sudden he packs up to move? Of course I heard about that.” Chad shrugged before he headed off further into the crowd.  
Jared rolled his lips together wondering what was going on in the Region that would have a supernatural packing up home and moving somewhere else. A supernatural packing up like that usually meant one thing and it wasn’t a good thing. He was giving up his territory.  
“It isn’t what you’re thinking,” Steve said as he led Jared down a side walk dotted with humans and touristy shops. “Chad shouldn’t have even said anything in front of everyone at the café. It’ll bring a whole new world of trouble for Jensen when he resurfaces. It’ll make sense when you speak with the King.”  
Jared eyed Steve trying to figure out just where exactly the wolf stood. What he was all about when they stopped in front of a brick building that stood inside a wrought iron fence. Jared stared at all the flowers littering the pathways that led up to the house, surrounding a fountain right in the middle. His beast purred in appreciation and it settled down low. Steven turned towards Jared and he took in a deep breath as if he were steeling himself for what was to come next.  
“Use all formalities unless he says otherwise. You’ll know if he says otherwise, he isn’t a cryptic vampire like most of them. He requested a private audience tonight so it’ll just be you and him speaking until Jensen and Christian show up.”  
Jared nodded that he understood what Steve had said and the man continued talking. “He doesn’t have us searched like some Kings or Queens do. He trusts us because we are just as dangerous as he is.”  
Jared snorted and wanted to strangle the wolf. A lone were was nowhere close to a threat to a vampire like Steve had suggested. Jared could see the question behind Steve’s eyes but ignored it, “Is there anything I should know?”  
“Nope,” Steve pushed the gate open and gestured for Jared to head in. As soon as Jared made it to the door Steve yelled, “Just talk more. It’s scary when such a big guy stays silent. Makes people think something bad is about to happen.”  
Jared turned back towards the door to see it already open. The doorway was filled with a pale figure and the scent of blood and death filling Jared’s nose. Jared clenched the tennis ball in his hand before he focused in on the jean clad figure leaning against the doorframe. “Jared Padalecki, I welcome you to my home and to the Region of New Orleans.”  
“Thank you King Morgan, I am grateful for your hospitality and the safe passage that you have provided.” Jared’s eyes traveled upwards from the cobblestoned ground and towards the lazy smile that graced the King’s lips.  
“Right,” the vampire clasped his hands together and gestured Jared inside, “Now that we have that out of the way. You can just call me Jeff.”  
“Thanks,” Jared stepped wide around the vampire and into the house. It was open, homey, lived in. It was everything that Houston wasn’t. Jared followed the wooden floors and Jeff’s footsteps into the living room and sat on the edge of a plush couch wondering when the tables would turn.  
Jeff didn’t cow tow around, he went straight for the throat as soon as they had settled down in the living room. “You know in New Orleans the supernatural community is made up of wolves who are extremely territorial, rats who really couldn’t give a damn as long as they have food and shelter, then there are my vampires. And you know all too well how they will react to you if they see you or find out what your blood is like.”  
“I know exactly what they will do.” Jared rubbed at his neck, closing his eyes against the ache that filled his chest trying to ignore the burst of memories that were threatening to resurface.  
“So when Isaac asked me if I would grant a supernatural safe passage and a place to stay for as long as they needed I wasn’t expecting you, Jared. I wasn’t expecting a situation quite like yours.” Jeff has sat on the couch opposite of him and rested his chin on his hands watching Jared.  
“What do you mean you weren’t expecting me?”  
“I’m a vampire Jared. I’m not stupid. I know what you are. Isaac got you out of Houston for more than fear of you killing yourself.” Jeff sprawled back on the couch propping his feet up on the coffee table in front of them. “What I need to know from you, so I can keep you safe, is how long you intend to stay here?”  
Jared licked his lips and stared up at the intricately tiled ceiling. He could feel his beast rising at his anxiety from the question. He let his eyes follow every swirl and pattern before focusing on the main image that occupied the tiles, a fleur de lis. He didn’t have a choice as to how long he was staying in New Orleans. He met Jeff’s eyes and answered, “I plan on staying as long as you’ll have me.”  
“So you are sure about staying?”  
“I haven’t got any other choice.” Jared bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from growling at the Region’s King or something equally as stupid.  
Jeff’s lip rolled back in disgust before he controlled it, “You’re always welcome here even if you only plan to stay until tomorrow morning and Jensen has to clear out that damn house for you.”  
“You might not be thinking that in a few days,” Jared rubbed a hand over his forehead. “I might be a rarity, something that will boost the Region’s standing but I’m not something to be treasured.”  
“It’s my choice to have you here Jared. You’re more than a were, to have the level of intelligence that you do – even if you don’t use it the way you had originally intended and decided to write, you’re here because you’re here. End of story.” Jeff held a hand over his lips before he stood up well before Jared heard the sound of a pair of footsteps just outside the door. He was immediately on alert as Jeff moved to greet whoever it was. Jared could scent the wolf that had joined Jeff but the other set of steps he couldn’t scent. He could smell the wind, the musk, and the leaves.  
Jared watched wearily as Jeff returned with two men who couldn’t be more opposite than the other. While one tall and the other short, blonde with short hair while the other had long dark locks. Jared could hear they way they were trying to figure out what he was by scent alone but alone that wasn’t going to be enough. Vivid green caught Jared’s eye and he forced himself to look down at the floor. He knew that look. It was enough to get lost in, enough to believe in.  
“Jared, this is Jensen Ackles and Christian Kane. Jensen is going to be living with you for how ever long I believe it’s necessary. If it comes down to it, Christian will be living there right along with him. They have a reputation as the Region protectors and they have earned the reputation they were given.”  
Jared stared up at the vampire, disbelief bright in his eyes as he choked. It took him time to figure out the underlying scent that was masked by the visual elements he was taking in. He should have figured it out the moment Jensen stepped into the room. Pale skin and the unearthly bright eyes, Jensen was a vampire. He’d be living with a vampire. Jared zeroed in on Jensen and clenched his eyes shut. “I don’t like vampires.”  
“You don’t like vampires?” Jensen repeated incredulously. “Are you serious?”  
Jared spun towards Jeff, “Do you even understand what you are going to be doing to him? What he’ll be living with day in and day out?”  
“He’s not doing anything to me but giving me a better place to live.” Jensen’s brows furrowed in confusion at Jared’s quiet warning. “I’m good at my job, protecting and watching out for people. I don’t see what the problem is besides you not liking vampires.”  
“He doesn’t know, does he Jeff?” Jared let out a frustrated sigh. He didn’t need to know the answer to his question. By just looking at Jensen and Christian he knew they hadn’t a clue.  
“I trust them with my life Jared. What you tell them is your business but Jensen will keep you safe.”  
Jared shook his head as he let out a soulless laugh. He looked straight at Jensen as he moved, coming toe to toe with the vampire ignoring the way Chris bristled at the action. “Have you ever wanted something so badly you couldn’t resist a taste? The scent just lingered at the back of your throat until you finally gave in?”  
Jared watched as Jensen’s pupils widened. The vampire had felt exactly what Jared had spoken of and he stood stock still waiting for whatever Jared was going to say next. “I’m exactly what you’re going to be tempted with. I’m a black werepanther, Jensen. My blood is a vampire’s extravagance. But you want to know what makes it so much more enticing? It’s the fact that another vampire saved me with their own blood. It’s the need to cover the scent of their blood with your own. It’s a cocktail vampires can’t seem to resist. How long do you think you can handle living in the same house as me? You think long and hard about that because I’m not visiting. I’m here until I die.”  
Jensen watched as Jared disappeared from the house before he turned back towards Jeff. He ignored the wild swirl of musk and spice that moved with the panther. “What the hell was that?”  
“That was who you’re going to be watching out for,” Jeff swiped a hand over his face before he moved back to the couch. “It doesn’t look like it’s going to be easy for you either.”

 

Chapter Two

Jensen sipped at his black thermos full of blood as he listened to Jared move through the house they were sharing. The guy had barely looked at him, much less spoke to him during the week it took them to get everything unpacked and settled into their respective parts of the house. He didn’t know where to start to even try to get Jared to talk to him. There were so many questions he wanted to ask. He wanted to understand who Jared was, why he had come here.  
Jared didn’t sleep at night like most weres did. For all Jensen knew, Jared didn’t sleep at all if the dark bags beneath his eyes were anything to go by. As soon as Jensen woke up Jared would already be sitting at the bar in the kitchen working on something on his laptop and sending messages back and forth on his Blackberry. As soon as he’d take a step in the kitchen Jared would stop whatever he was doing and watch him. Almost as if he was expecting him to jump out and take a bite of him. Jensen had a feeling it was going to take more than a few days to get on Jared’s good side. Getting the panther to be comfortable in his own house was going to be a task all in its self. He’d have to wait it out; let Jared get comfortable around him and hope for the best.  
When the doorbell rang they both looked at each other. Jensen set his thermos down on the counter, ignoring the way Jared eyed it and him with distaste. He couldn’t help the way his body reacted to food. His eye darkened, his fangs became visible until the hunger was soothed.  
“You expecting anyone Jared?”  
Jared shook his head as looked back down at his laptop before taking a deep breath and meeting Jensen’s eyes. No matter how hard he tried to hide it, fear danced in his eyes.  
“Just sit tight, I’ll check it out. It’s probably nothing.” Jensen was quiet as he moved towards the front door and glanced out the blinds. The muscles that had coiled tight relaxed before Jensen looked back at Jared. “It’s Chad. He brought Steve and Chris along. I can tell them to leave if you want.”  
Jared shook his head. The fear in the panther’s eyes dimmed from fear and into anxiety and Jensen wondered what exactly happened to put him so on edge. “It’s fine. I just need to put everything up.”  
Jensen nodded and watched as Jared grabbed his computer and took off down the hallway before he opened the door to let the rowdy wolves in. Chad had a pack of bright pink tennis balls in his hands before he let out a howl of “Jay bird! I got a pressie for you!”  
“What’s with the tennis balls?” Jensen asked and he got twin eye rolls from both Chris and Steve.  
“He insisted we stop by somewhere so he could get a housewarming gift for the newest member of the Region. I don’t understand it myself.” Chris shrugged.  
Chad fixed Jensen with an odd look, “You have in fact lived with Jared for a week right? And you still don’t know what the tennis balls are for?”  
Jensen shook his head no as he scooped the thermos back up. Chad moved into the kitchen digging around in the cabinets while he commented, “Curious, very curious.”  
“Should I know?”  
“Steve seemed to get it,” Chris shrugged. “And he only met Jared for five minutes.”  
“Ah ha!” Chad smirked as he tied a string into a bow around the tin. “Now it’s perfect. Where is he?”  
“Hey Chad,” Jared eyed the wolf briefly before the package was thrust into his hands. “What’s this?”  
“Thought pink was more your color,” Chad grinned as Jared untied the bow and popped the can immediately gripping one of the tennis balls in hand. He bounced it against the floor and the tension seemed to drain from his shoulders with ever breath he took. “So, how’s the house treating you?”  
“It’s nice,” Jared shrugged and scratched at his neck. “Reminds me a little of Houston.”  
Chad’s eyes widened and he looked over at Jensen and his eyes narrowed in anger. He might be the smartest of the wolves but he knew enough about Jared to know that Houston was known as the bad place and New Orleans was Jared’s best hope. He grabbed Jared’s arm and tugged him towards the room they decided would be his the day they brought Jared to New Orleans, “Jaybird and I need to have a serious conversation. Depending on how that goes we might need to hijack a truck to go and see Jeff later on.”  
“What?” Steve choked out at the heat of Chad’s anger, “What’s going on Chad?”  
Chad waved Steve’s gargled out questions off and headed to the back of the house. Steve watched Jensen dump the dregs of his meal in the sink and start the process of cleaning the thermos immediately before deciding a beer was in order. He plundered through the fridge and found it full of things for Jared but nothing for Jensen while he grabbed beers for him self and Chris. “So you want to tell us what the hell has been going on?”  
“Nothing!” Jensen threw soapy hands up in the air. His eyes dimmed from the lowly green after a meal and back into the black of a stressed vampire. “The kid won’t even talk to me. All he does is watches me like I’m about to eat him. Which I’m not! I’ve got plenty of food in the fridge. I don’t even know where to start with him. It’s like he hates me because I’m a vampire and that’s not even my fault! I didn’t just step outside in the middle of night yelling, ‘take a chunk out of me. I want to be a vampire!’ I should get some sympathy for that one yeah?”  
Chris shared an amused look with Steve as they watched Jensen pace back and forth across the living room. His hands flailing about as his eyes darkened and his nose scrunched up in frustration.  
“All he does is sit in the kitchen on his laptop typing away and clicking at his BlackBerry quiet as a mouse. You’d think he’d want to see the Region, get to know the rest of the pack but no. He just sticks around the house and I’m stuck in here too because where ever he is, that’s where I’m supposed to be.”  
“You do know who he is right?” Chris scratched the back of his neck self consciously.  
“No, I don’t who he is.” Jensen tugged at the spikes in his hair. “He won’t let me know who he is. That’s the problem here.”  
“He was supposed to be some up and coming security specialist. He was being recruited his last year of college.” Chris started.  
“What happened?” Jensen asked softly.  
“The Region King, Leo I think was his name, lost it one night,” Steve supplied. “He woke up after a full moon and he went out the house that all the cats stayed at. He massacred everyone.”  
“Everyone except for Jared,” Chris shrugged uncomfortably. “He uh, well the King wanted Jared all for himself.”  
“Well fuck me sideways,” Jensen mumbled. “That’s why he doesn’t like vampires.”  
“Safe to say,” Steve rolled his lips together.  
“How’d you find all this out anyways?”  
“I know a wolf over in Dallas who helps run security measures along the south. He and Jared worked together up until he was attacked. The kid changed after everything happened and he left security work. It just about killed everyone in the company when he quit and started writing books.”  
“That’s what he does? He writes?” Jensen sputtered.  
“Oh does he write,” Steve grinned at Chris. Chris swatted the blonde haired man over the back of the head.  
“What does he write? Epic romances?” Jensen raised a brow out of curiosity.  
“He’s kind of like the Nicholas Sparks of weres,” Steve shrugged, “He could make Chris cry like a baby with what he writes. He’s that good.”  
Chris scratched at his chin before looking at Jensen and coughing awkwardly, “Look if what we’ve heard is true he just needs time to get used to you and to figure out you aren’t like the vampires in Houston. Just give him time to see that you’re Jensen Ackles and not the son of a bitch who tried to rip his throat out. Plus, it’s a lot to get used to living around here. People are just weird around here.”

Jared tumbled into his room and stared wide eyed at Chad wondering how such a small person could contain so much strength. He watched as Chad’s eyes lit up with merriment before he started laughing. He moved around Jared’s room, “So I see why Jennybean didn’t know about your obsession with tennis balls.”  
Chad flopped down on Jared’s bed and picked up the fuzzy yellow ball that was harmlessly lying next to his pillow and he threw it up in the air. “That’s a fancy set up you have over there. You’ve got yourself a desktop, laptop and a home theatre system all to yourself in your room. I didn’t know so much could fit in here, cozy. And nice décor, tennis balls just perched on your speakers, lying in wait on your floor. A cheap death trap waiting to take out any unwanted visitor.”  
Chad rolled over onto his back and looked up at Jared. “You want to explain that bit about reminding you about Houston? If I need to beat the shit out of a vampire I will try my best.”  
Jared rolled his eyes as he pulled the computer chair out and slumped into it and stared up at the ceiling. He tossed the neon pink tennis ball up at the ceiling for a few minutes before looking over at Chad. “In Houston, there wasn’t an even distribution of power. It was vampires that held all the control. They watched my pack mates. They watched us until the King decided we were there for food.”  
Chad sat up and listened to Jared, every ounce of playfulness drained from his body.  
“Every tiger was killed by the vampires who worked for the King of Houston while I was walking home from school one night. My friends were drained because of how rare their blood was. I made it home to be held hostage by King Leo.”  
“But you’re alive, Jared.”  
“Being watched by another vampire,” Jared whispered. “I’m being watched by a vampire who can smell how tempting my blood is. A vampire who can see that it took a vampire to save me from dying the first time. How long is it going to be before something like that happens again?”  
“Jensen’s different. He’s like a fireman or something. He’d risk everything to save one stray kitten, even if it meant meeting a real terrible sun burn. He’s friends with more weres than vampires. Plus, down here there is that whole checks and balances thing. I think that’s what it’s called.” Chad scratched his nose. “That’s where one branch makes sure another doesn’t have too much power or abuses power right?”  
“Kind of.”  
“See, we’ve got that!” Chad sent a sad grin over to Jared. “He’s a good guy and he’d pull his own fangs out before hurting you. Just give him a chance?”  
Jared shrugged, “It’s hard. It’s like every night I’m worried he’ll realize what I am and want a taste.”  
“What exactly are you?”  
“I’m a panther.”  
Chad rested a hand on Jared’s arm and let out a long sigh, “Well you’ve got more than yourself to rely on now. Jensen is a good guy. He’ll keep you safe no matter how great you smell or taste. Plus, the whole not showing up around town had Steve worried so, ta-da! We’re here.”  
Chad scrunched his nose up, “Man! How did I not know you were some giant cat! I’m such an idiot! You were purring and acting all kittenish the first day you showed up here.”  
Jared rolled his eyes, “You said it not me.”  
“So how about we try being social?” Chad stood up and glanced at Jared’s DVD collection. He plucked a movie from random. “No more hiding in your room young man!”  
Jared sighed at the haughty tone Chad adopted as he followed the ball of energy out into the living room. He saw Jensen standing by the fireplace and Chris and Steve watching him in amusement. Chad pressed the DVD against Jared’s chest and smirked, “Jared here thought we should watch a movie. I’ll get the refreshments!”  
The last words were almost howled and Jared winced at the volume of them before he glanced down at the case. He felt his lips curling upwards before he let out a quiet chuckle surprising everyone in the room, “I’ll go get something everyone will enjoy. Not just three of the people in the room.”  
“What did he pick?” Steve asked and Jared tossed the case over to him. Jared shook his head at the bark of laughter that followed him down the hall trying not to be embarrassed by the fact he actually owned the movie when Jensen’s voice broke through the laughter.  
“Oh hell no! We are not watching Must Love Dogs! Pick something with lots of explosions, Jay! Maybe Vampires!” Jensen called down the hall his voice wavering with the joke.  
Jared smirked at Jensen’s suggestion and grabbed Dawn of the Dead. Zombies seemed like a good neutral ground.

“You know,” Jensen started as he walked into the kitchen with a packet of blood in hand and his eyes already black, “If you wanted we could do some sort of guy night every weekend or something. So you could get to know the guys before the first moon.”  
Jared watched Jensen’s process off heating his meal curiously as he considered Jensen’s words. The vampire dumped the contents in a microwavable mug and heated it for just long enough before transferring it into one of his gaudy thermoses. He did it all with his body shielding Jared from actually seeing any of the blood. He was quick and he knew how to mask the smell as well as one could manage.  
“But if you don’t want to that’s fine. I just thought I’d throw that idea out there because well, I just thought you could use someone besides me around here. A friend or something.”  
Jared rolled his lips together and ducked his head focusing on the cursor in front of him. He had enjoyed hanging out with Chad, Steve, Chris and even Jensen the other night. It just, there was this underlying fear that told him if he had made more of an effort to make friends they’d end up just like his old pack, just like Matt. He’d be there when they were being buried and he’d be alone again.  
A hand pressed along his back and disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared. “Just think about it, okay?”  
Jared watched as Jensen made his way into the living room and settled down on the couch flipping through the channels trying to find something to watch. The panther bit down on his lip before he stood up and made his way over to sit next to the vampire. “There’s a marathon of Alaska State Troopers on the TiVo.”  
“You watch that?”  
“No,” Jared shrugged, “But I saw it on the TiVo so the only other person would be you. So unless we’ve got a ghost...”  
“Huh,” Jensen muttered already flipping to National Geographic. “You mind?”  
“Fine by me.” Jared offered a half hearted smile as he shifted to get comfortable on the couch. He eyed the vampire as he sipped at his dinner and shook his head at the skull and crossbones on the front of the thermos. Jensen was trying. He wasn’t pressuring him to go out, to do the things that normal supernaturals would be doing at night. Jensen was dealing with Jared being a stubborn ass like a champ.  
Jared scrubbed his hands over his face before he let out a heavy sigh. He smirked at the way Jensen’s eyes cautiously rolled towards him as if waiting for some kind of outburst. “I think that hanging out with the guys is a good idea. At least, it’ll be good for me.”  
“Yeah,” Jensen nodded looking at the television, “It will be.”  
Jared slumped down further in the couch, his fingers tapping on his thighs incessantly before Jensen’s hand shot out to stop the motion. “You got something on your mind man?”  
“I just,” Jared bit into his lip before he turned on the couch to look over at Jensen. “I just wanted to apologize for being such a jackass to you. I shouldn’t have said the things I did. You aren’t who did this to me; you are Jensen Ackles and you deserve to be treated better than how I treated you.”  
“Dude,” Jensen held up a hand, “You were pretty much kicked from your Region into mine and told you were living with a vampire. I understand. I probably would have been way worse if I was in your shoes.”  
“So we’re good?” Jared licked his lips and waited for Jensen to say something.  
“Water under the bridge,” Jensen nodded. “Now if you interrupt my Alaska State Troopers for your girl talk ever again we might have a problem. We clear?”  
Jared let out a booming laugh and his chest warmed at the way Jensen’s lips curled upwards and his eyes danced with mirth. “Crystal.”

Chapter Three  
A couple days later Jared was chewing on a pen, tapping his fingers against the inked up pages of his notebook and staring at his laptop when a loud knocking was heard. He looked over to Jensen who was busy trying to figure out what color thermos to use tonight, “Expecting any company?”  
“Thought that was my line,” Jensen snorted as slammed the cabinet shut and made his way towards the door. He let out a loud groan that had Jared on his feet and peeking around the corner of the kitchen curiously. “The invaders are back but they’ve brought food.”  
“You boys better have a grill!” Chris’s raspy voice called out as Jensen opened the door and they shouldered the vampire to the side to make their way into the kitchen. “Or that you’re not busy doing something already.”  
“Wrote myself into a corner actually so I could use the distraction,” Jared closed his notebook and saved everything on his computer before tucking everything under his arms. “The grill is actually in the shed, you can pull it over to the patio if you want.”  
“Hell yeah,” Chris clapped Jared on the back and set everything down on the counter before heading outside. Jared almost dropped the laptop in his hands from the force but Jensen steadied it.  
“You got it?”  
“Thanks,” Jared stared straight into mossy green eyes. The vampire stood still waiting for Jared to move but he couldn’t. Since the first movie night and his apology things had slowly begun to change between the two of them. Jared didn’t feel as anxious around the vampire anymore. He had seen the way Jensen laughed, gotten along with the wolves. He had even felt protected. Swallowing down the heat that rushed over his skin, the way his beast purred at Jensen’s help before he gave a shaky nod towards Chris while gesturing towards his room. “There should be drinks in the fridge if ya’ll want something.”  
“Oh,” Jensen scratched at the back of his neck in embarrassment. “Yeah, except beer.”  
“We’ve actually got that covered,” Steve set two twenty-four packs down on the counter causing both Jensen and Chad’s eyes to widen.  
“Ya’ll planning on staying the night?”  
“Apparently,” Jared supplied. “Weres might have a higher metabolism but if ya’ll drink all that you aren’t going to be going anywhere tonight.”  
“Jared loves us!” Chad danced around Jared before following Chris outside to help set up the grill.  
“Right,” Jensen’s eyes slid towards Jared before he rolled them from Chad’s antics. He eyed Jared’s armload, “You going to hold on to that stuff all night?”  
“Oh,” Jared felt his face heat in embarrassment, “Let me just, I’ll be right back.”  
When Jared made his way back through the house empty handed he found the kitchen empty. He stepped out onto the porch soundlessly to where he could watch everyone. He listened to Chad and Chris bickering about who was going to man the grill for the night while Steve and Jensen watched on in amusement as Chad listed off the main reasons why he should be the one to handling the grill.  
“First off,” Chad ticked the reasons off on his fingers, “I’ve been a wolf longer, better palate. Secondly, I picked the beer so I know what goes best with it! Third, I’m Chad.”  
“I think that last point just works against you man,” Jared grinned as he stepped outside into the heat and humidity. It curled around him in a blanket and his beast purred in contentment. Jared closed his eyes against the feeling. He felt something else underneath it and when he looked up Jensen was watching him with soft eyes. Shaking the feeling off Jared moved to see what Chris had brought to grill and hummed in excitement.  
“Someone’s happy,” Chris rolled his eyes as he started on the steaks and the turkey legs.  
Chad’s eyes dropped towards the ground, “I thought we were friends. I made sure to include your tastes in this cooking endeavor but no you aren’t who I thought you were.”  
“It’ll be okay, Chad.” Steve patted the wolf on the shoulder before he started fixing the vegetables up in foil and setting them on the second rack. “You’ve still got me.”  
Chad just scrunched his nose up at Steve’s words, “I’m going to get the beers.”

 

Jensen sat next to Jared around the makeshift patio table they had set up with a lime green thermos in hand. He was sipping at his meal quietly, his eyes morphing from black back to the bright grassy green while Chad regaled them with stories of past moons. He had stopped paying attention to what Chad was talking about until Jared let out a bark of laughter.  
“He thought he could climb a tree,” Chris rolled his eyes, “Really? This one is so bright.”  
“It’s not my fault I was trying to hide out from the rats. I get anywhere near those fuckers and they start to chew on my paws like it’s Christmas.” Chad inspected his fingers with a frown. “Those teeth hurt.”  
“Next time leave the tree climbing to me, okay?” Jared patted Chad on the shoulder before standing and collecting the mess that littered the table.  
“Think you’re something special,” Chad grumbled before rolling his eyes, “Being able to climb trees during the full moon. Woo.”  
“Someone’s jealous,” Jensen muttered as he set his drink down and his chest tightened at the grin Jared shot him.  
Chad slammed a hand down on the table, sending it teetering along with Jensen thermos before both Chris and Steve steadied it. “Dude, what the hell?”  
“I know what we need to do,” Chad rubbed his hands together with a mischievous grin adorning his face.  
“Oh god, please save us all now,” Chris mumbled before Chad swatted him over the back of the head.  
“We need to run, bring Jared to where we will be during the moon.”  
“Run?” Jensen quirked a brow at the excitement that was already forming around the table.  
“Yeah, run. You up for it man?” Chad asked and four sets of eyes waited patiently for Jared to answer.  
These people had done more, put up with more for him than anyone ever had in Texas. They kept digging at the wall he tried to put up to separate them from himself. He felt his beast prowling beneath his skin, happy with the idea of burning off the early moon energy.  
“Let’s do it.”  
“Hell yes!” Chad punched the air as he jumped up from where he was sitting. “This is going to be great. I’ve always wanted to run with something rather than a wolf or a rat.”  
“Jensen’s invited too, right?” Jared asked as he stood up and stretched the kinks out his back. He looked into shocked green eyes. “I need to see if my vampire protector is all he’s cracked up to be.”  
“All I’m cracked up to be?” Jensen shot back. Jared shot the vampire a grin before heading into the house to change into looser clothes.

The woods were quiet. The sounds of mosquitoes and night crawlers buzzed in Jared’s ears the moment they stepped out of Steve’s SUV. Every muscle seemed to loosen in anticipation. His beast raised to the surface, ready for something, anything to happen. Excitement from the wolves ran along his skin as they tromped further from the car and into the woods.  
“You ready to see how fast a cat can actually move or if they’re slow because of all those naps they need?” Chad asked and they were off. Jared tore away from the wolves with a laugh, a hand slapping against the trunk of a trees as he moved. He felt the human half of his brain slipping further beneath the surface as the panther rose to the surface.  
Every little detail he could see better, already mapping out his next twists and turns along the gnarled path the trees offered him. The scent of his companions was that much stronger. He could taste their exhilaration at being so free, out where no one would see them.  
A loud yip pulled Jared back to focus in time to see Chad careening around a tree. He slid beneath the jumping wolf and was up and running with in seconds. He turned to look at Chad’s stunned face before he ducked beneath a branch and kept moving. A second set of footfalls joined his and Jensen was beside him with a grin, knocking him into a tree before disappearing again. He could hear Chris’s laughter before he scrambled to catch up to either of them. The first person he spotted was Jensen who was keeping pace with him a few meters away from him, keeping watch over him. Shaking his head Jared went in search of Chris. He spotted the long haired man chasing after Steve, grumbling underneath his breath. Jared bounded off a tree trunk and tackled Chris to the ground with a loud laugh before he was on his feet and bumping shoulders with Steve.  
Steve looked back to where Chris was twisting up off the ground and let out a loud guffaw coming to a stop with his hands on his knees and grinning up at Jared. “Man, if you’re this fun now, I can’t even imagine what the full moon will be like.”  
“What?” Jared grinned brightly, “We can’t let Chris and Jensen get away with everything.”  
“Damn straight.” Steve nodded a bit out of breath before he whistled signaling everyone to head back towards the car. He patted Jared’s shoulder as they walked, “You’re doing well here, you know? You’re going to love the full moon.”  
“I’m hoping so,” Jared ducked beneath a branch and focused on the floor beneath him. He could still hear Jensen’s twin footfalls a bit away from him. The vampire was just as playful as the rest of them, yet he still kept watch over him. It made something in his chest shift thinking about Jensen and what he was learning about the man.  
Settling back into the SUV in a content haze Jared couldn’t help but smile up towards the roof of the car. His thigh was plastered against Jensen’s and Jensen’s arm resting along the back of the seat. He couldn’t find a problem being so close to the vampire anymore. Not with the way Jensen laughed, ran and joked with rest of them. This was how a Region was supposed to be, a means of support and happiness. There wasn’t supposed to be fear ingrained in your every step or thought. A Region was your family and if a vampire was inching his way into that category, this time Jared wasn’t going to stop that from happening, especially since Jensen was proving to be different from what he knew it didn’t matter that he was a vampire.

Chapter Four

“Would you eat a moose?” Jensen asked absently as light from the television reflected against his eyes and the gaudy purple thermos as he raised it to his lips for a sip. He looked over towards Jared waiting for the panther to answer his question but just got shocked eyes instead. He grinned and nudged Jared’s shoulder with his own, “Seriously, I mean it Jared. If we were in Alaska and you were hungry while you were a panther would you eat a moose?”  
Jared shook his head, “First off, you won’t find any kind of werecat in Alaska. It’s far too cold in the winter for us, especially me. But I wouldn’t eat a moose. They’re huge and I’d need more than just me to take one down. A deer or something that size I could handle by myself. But a moose? Hell no.”  
Jensen hummed as he focused back on the show and the troopers placing a moose decoy on the side of the road. His lips curled upwards before he rolled his head along the back of the couch and looked at Jared who was completely focused on the television. He watched as Jared’s lips twitched and then his eyes narrowed in thought. “You’re thinking about it now, eating a moose. Aren’t you?”  
“Shut up,” Jared nudged Jensen’s face so he was facing the television again. He stood up and headed towards the kitchen and listened to Jensen’s cackling.  
“What are you in search of Jared? Bambi?” Jensen taunted from the couch.  
“Oh yeah,” Jared rolled his eyes as he finished up a sandwich and made his way back to the couch. He waved the plate under Jensen’s nose, “Bambi sure looks good.”  
Jensen stuck out his tongue, “Disgusting.”  
“If you say so,” Jared took a massive bite from the sandwich and hummed in appreciation.  
“What kind of crazy locks himself in a crawl space when he’s surrounded by police? Wait, never mind. Forget I asked that question. Chad would.”  
Jared barely managed not to choke from Jensen comment before smirking at the vampire’s line of thought. “He would, wouldn’t he?”  
“That wolf,” Jensen shook his head, “Never in my life have I ever met someone as insane as he is.”  
They sat watching the show until Jared let out a jaw popping yawn and sprawled out further against the couch with his plate resting on his lap.  
“Dude,” Jensen picked up the plate and set it on the coffee table before clicking the lamp off beside them. “If you’re tired go to sleep. You don’t have to keep me company.”  
“Not tired,” Jared gave a sleepy smile before pointing at the television, “We’ve got crazy shows to watch. I know you have Sister Wives recorded on there. Start em’ up man.”  
“If you tell anyone about this, I’ll leave you to Chad,” Jensen warned Jared as he scrolled through the TiVo menu, “And the rats.”  
Jared snorted, “You’re dirty little secret is safe with me man.”  
“It better be,” Jensen pressed play and glanced over at Jared. His eyes had already dropped shut and he was breathing slowly out of parted lips. Jensen had to bite down the urge to brush a stray piece of hair out of the panther’s face. Ten minutes into the show Jensen gave in and reached over to tuck the loose piece of hair behind Jared’s ear and he startled the panther awake with glassy eyes.  
“Kody’s got it made,” Jared pointed towards the television but his eyes never left the bright green of Jensen’s.  
“What do you mean?” Jensen quirked a brow at the sleep addled Jared.  
“I just want one person to love me unconditionally,” Jared whispered already falling back to sleep with his face tilted towards Jensen. Jensen kind of agreed with Jared. He just wanted one person to love him for who he was and this guy had four people who loved him unconditionally.  
Jared snuffled in his sleep before pressing against Jensen’s shoulder. His nose pressed against the skin there and his breath was warm against Jensen’s neck. Maybe this was just how his life was supposed to be.

 

Chapter Five

Jensen had been up for three hours, heated two thermoses of blood and chugged them down and he still hadn’t seen Jared. He could smell him, god the smell of the panther was stronger than it had been when they had gotten home from running in the woods. It made his teeth ache, his chest warm. Jared’s scent was intoxicating. It took everything he had to focus on helping Jared, to find out why the panther had hidden himself in his room. He needed to know if something was wrong with Jared. He couldn’t concentrate; all he wanted was another thermos of blood.  
Jensen had never felt so hungry before. He never had a pint of blood be so unsatisfying that he needed more. What had really terrified the vampire was what he thought might causing this to happen. The scent of Jared wrapping around him just seemed to make everything worse. His fangs were still extended, his eyes were still black and he could feel the raw energy of both his and Jared’s anxiety crawling along his spine.  
With a hand pressed over his lips he went over what he had learned of Jared in the past few weeks and what he knew now. He knew that Jared had locked himself in his room but it didn’t make sense for him to stay hidden away in his room all night. He had already checked on him earlier and Jared gave a mumbled, ‘go away, I’m fine’ before Jensen began pacing. Something had to be wrong with him.  
He still didn’t know what to do for the panther and it felt like he was about to snap. So he did the only thing he could think of. He called Chris.  
“What?”  
“Jared,” Jensen scratched at the back of his neck, grinding his teeth down to relieve the ache in his gums before continuing, “There’s something wrong with him and he won’t let me in his room to check on him. I don’t know if he’s hurt or if something else is happening to him. He’s just locked himself inside his room.”  
“You’re going to have to start at the beginning.”  
“He’s been in his room all night!” Jensen barked out. “He’s always in the kitchen or somewhere I can see him when I wake up. This time he wasn’t. He’s locked himself in his room and I can smell him everywhere, Chris.”  
“You can smell him?” Chris repeated slowly.  
“Yes,” Jensen let out a labored breath, “I can smell him and I can’t concentrate on anything but his scent. I want to make sure he’s okay. I want to help him but I can’t. I—  
“I get what you’re saying. I’ll be over as soon as I can.” Jensen could hear Chris moving through his house, snatching up a set of car keys. “I need you to go outside the house and wait for me. Tell Jared you’ll be outside and he needs to stay inside until I get there. I’m going to call Steve and Chad too. Maybe they’ll get over faster. You need me to bring anything? You need any more blood?”  
“What’s going on Chris?” Jensen closed his eyes, trying to calm down.  
“It’s, I,” Chris stumbled over his words trying to explain what was happening, “look I just need to see him to be sure.”  
“Just get here!” Jensen threw the phone across the living room. He closed his eyes counting backwards from ten before he made his way towards Jared’s room. He could hear the small breaths from Jared’s room. “Jared, I need to go outside and you need to stay in here no matter what. I’ve got Chris coming over but even if you start feeling better you have to stay inside until Chris says its okay for you to do different.”  
“What’s wrong?” The words were so soft, and laced with fear Jensen pressed the heels of his palms against his eyes.  
“I,” Jensen knocked his forehead against the door, “I don’t know. Just stay in here and away from me. Chad and Steve are coming too. They’ll help you. I just can’t. Not right now.”  
“Jen,” Jared whispered and Jensen jerked away from the door as if it burned him. He needed to leave now. The sound of Jared’s voice, his scent, everything was pulling at him to stay inside the house. To get closer to Jared. He needed to get out.  
He checked the locks before heading towards the road. The humidity pressed against his skin, mosquitoes buzzed in his ears as he waited for Chris to show up. He sat down leaning against the mailbox and tipped his head back towards the sky. Stars dotted the sky next to the nearly full moon. Closing his eyes, Jensen hoped to hell Jared was alright. He was supposed to be the one who protected him not ran out when it got tough.  
A bright pair of headlights had Jensen standing up to see Chris’s truck pulling up to the driveway. He waited for the truck to roll to a stop before he leaned over and looked at Chris’s worried eyes.  
“You okay man?” Chris reached out and rested a hand on Jensen’s shoulder.  
“Just check on him?” Jensen shrugged the wolf’s attempt of comfort away, “Make sure he’s okay and then if he is let me know.”  
“Yeah, no problem.” Chris nodded and waited for Jensen to step away from the truck.  
“I might need to borrow your car, to get to Jeff’s to stay for the night. I,” Jensen shook his head. “You’ll understand once you walk in there.”  
“Okay,” Chris nodded before pulling all the way up to the house, leaving Jensen standing by the street alone wondering what the hell was going on or if he was just screwed up.

Chris opened the door and had to cough against the scent that flooded his nose and mouth. It was strong, exotic and it reminded him of the woods after a hard rain. Underneath it there were so many other scents he couldn’t make them out. There were too many emotions to decipher. He stepped quietly through the house to where Jared’s room was.  
“Jared,” Chris spoke quietly so not to startle the panther. “It’s Chris. You doing alright in there?”  
“Jen, is he okay?” Jared asked, moving around the room and towards the door.  
“Yeah, he’s fine. What we’re both worried about is if you’re okay. You going to open the door for me anytime soon or am I going to have to break it down?”  
The lock to the door slid back and the door opened a sliver before Jared was scrambling to the opposite side of the room and as far away from Chris as he could manage.  
Chris stepped into the room and spotted Jared curled up against the wall. His face was pressed against his knees and his fingers dancing along the tops of his feet. Chris sat next to Jared, leaning against the wall. The heat radiating off of Jared was too much, even for a were.  
“Jay-man, what’s going on with you?”  
“What’s going on?” Jared snarled and his face popped up. The normally hazel eyes had turned a burning yellow. “You know what’s going on.”  
Chris set his hands on either side of Jared’s face and whispered, “You gotta make it to the moon, Jared. One more day and than you’ll be okay.”  
“I’ve been a were my entire life. I know what this means. This is going to happen every moon until I give in.”  
Chris rubbed at the back of his neck awkwardly trying figure out who could make Jared react this way. An unmated were would have a reaction like this if they found someone suitable to be their mate. It didn’t matter if they were human, a different were or even a vampire, if the beast found them acceptable somewhere deep inside the human side of the were did too.  
The only person that could have caused Jared to act this was Jensen. He had seen it in the way they had begun to act around each other, how much trust they gave to the other. It was in the way Jared’s beast was scenting the house, almost as if he were marking the house as his and Jensen’s. Everything that was happening pointed to one thing the human side of Jared didn’t want to acknowledge yet and Chris wasn’t going to be the one to point it out to the panther. It was something Jared needed to acknowledge on his own. “Maybe it’s the new Region, pre-moon jitters.”  
“I know what it is,” Jared ran his fingers through his hair with a heavy sigh. “There’s too much, I can’t be in here. I need to run.”  
“Then we’ll run but I gotta get Jensen out of here. He’s probably going out of his fucking mind that I haven’t gone out there to tell him that you’re okay.”  
“Why’d he go outside? What was he afraid of?”  
“I think,” Chris scratched at his nose while debating on if he should say something to Jared or not. In a spilt second he decided to go with the truth, “I think he was afraid he might do something to scare you, or even hurt you. I’m going to go get Jensen out of here and then you can do what you need to do.”

Jared watched as Chris drove the truck towards the road and stopped at the mailbox where Jensen was facing the house. He couldn’t hear what they were saying but he could see relief pass through the tension riddled shoulders of the vampire. Jensen glanced back towards the house, his eyes catching Jared’s in a silent good-bye before he slipped into the truck and headed off towards the city.  
Jared stood still, staring out towards the woods until Chris stepped beside him. As if in complete synchronicity both he and the wolf inhaled the night air deeply. Chris looked up towards Jared shaking his hands loose, “You ready for this?”  
With a nod from the panther they were tearing through the trees. Everything was louder, warmer, more alive and it didn’t take long for Jared to let the energy bubbling beneath his skin take control. The muscles in his legs were burning from the way he was pushing himself, going faster than he could remember ever going in his human form.

 

The full moon meant so many things and right now neither he nor the beast wanted to believe half of the things running through his mind. Too much good had happened without any consequences. Jensen had changed everything Jared had come to know of vampires.  
Jared could feel his chest burning, his heart straining from pushing himself too far. He slammed against the thick trunk of a tree. His hands sliding against the rough bark and he bit his lower lip. Tomorrow was going to be hard. Facing the vampire was going to be hard.

Jared stared up at the darkening sky. Every nerve felt like it had been flayed open as he waited for the change to begin. He closed his eyes and he could feel Chad, Chris and Steve all standing next to him. He could feel the pulse of energy along his skin as he waited. He could smell the wolves and the rats in the air. Every second the sky turned to night, the smells intensified. Beneath it all his smelled something so mouthwatering, so tempting it pushed his beast further to the surface.  
The first growls came from the back of the pack. Then he heard a muffled squeak before Jared slipped beneath the beast. His knees gave out and his fingers dug into the soil. His jaw popped and his gums burned. His spine arched as he threw his head back towards the sky and the pain soaring across his body turned into pleasure.  
Black paws stretched against the warm dirt as he tipped his head back and scented the air. His ears cocking back when he heard movement that was far too ahead of the pack. His claws dug into the ground as he started to run. Heavy movements turned light as he bounded through the brush and a tree, trying to find what was ahead of them. The closer he got, the more the scent brushed along his face.  
It wasn’t just smell that had the panther chasing, the sound of footsteps too light to be human had him pushing harder. Wind whistled in his ears, moved like fingers dragging through his fur. Bright flashes of light caught his attention from the corner of his eye. His paws sliding to a stop in the dirt as he tilted his head back a fraction, his nostrils flaring and his ears tracking the slowing steps. A low growl rumbled in the back of his throat, searching for whatever was keeping pace with him. Everything had gone quiet except for the buzz of mosquitoes and the hail of an owl from trees above him.  
The sound of paws padding along the ground, crunching dead leaves and branches beneath their uncared movements had stolen his attention from current prey. Bright yellow eyes spotted three wolves running up behind him. They were nipping at each other but keeping a watchful eye on him. The panther ignored the sound of soft footsteps as he ran along side the wolves.

“Hey,” A soft hand pressed against the over sensitized skin of Jared’s shoulder. He let out a small groan. Everything always smelled so differently after a shift. Things were crisper, more alive and taking a deep breath steeling himself for opening his eyes and actually waking up sent his body into overdrive. That scent. Licking his lips, Jared tried to put any kind of identifiers to it. He just wanted to bottle it up. Keep it all to himself.  
“Wake up man,” Something heavy landed on the ground next to him sending dirt crawling up towards his nose.  
Sputtering at the taste, Jared looked at the pile of his clothes from last night that were stashed in a plastic Winn-Dixie bag before following a pair of jeans up to a grinning Jensen. “What?”  
“You,” Jensen shook his head. “I’d get dressed if you don’t want to be dragged along to get beignets this morning with the rest of the Region. And if you don’t want me to turn to ash, I figure we’ve got about an hour before the sun’s fully up. ”  
“Good idea,” Jared sat up and started digging through the clothes. “You went and found these for me?”  
“I don’t see anyone else with plastic bags full of their clothes,” Jensen rolled his eyes. “Now hurry the hell up before the wolves see the special treatment you’re getting and get jealous.”  
Jared felt laughter bubbling up in his chest as he pulled on a shirt and frowned at his torn boxers and went for his shorts instead. He stood up and stretched the kinks out of his back. They were tromping through the woods and almost to Jared’s truck when the panther wrapped a hand around Jensen’s wrist. “You’re okay right?”  
Jensen stared at Jared’s hand and nodded, “Yeah.”  
Jared let go of the vampire and unlocked the truck. Once they were buckled in and heading back to the house he took a deep breath. “It’s just, when I freaking out and then you had to leave, well I thought, it doesn’t matter I was just worried about you.”  
“Dude,” Jensen snorted, “There wasn’t a reason to be worried. Everything is okay now. I just didn’t know what to do for you.”  
“Chris said something,” Jared whispered knowing that Jensen would hear him across the cab of the truck.  
“Of course Chris said something.” Jensen rolled his eyes. “What did he say?”  
“That you were afraid.” Jared answered and Jensen let out a frustrated groan and closed his eyes when Jared continued, “That you might hurt me.”  
“Jared,” Jensen whispered staring at the steadily brightening sky as they pulled into the drive way. He made a quick run for the house and sighed in relief at being inside before he faced the panther and all his questions. “I just, can’t talk about this right now.”  
Jared watched at Jensen disappeared behind the door of his room. A sharp snick of the lock before something was placed at the crack of the door to block out all light. Jared took quiet steps down the hallway a few minutes after Jensen and placed his hand on the vampire’s door. He took a few quiet breaths before whispering, “Thank you.”

National Geographic was on when Jensen made his way from his room feeling guilty as hell from not answering Jared’s questions. He should have. Jared was dozing across the couch and there was an empty thermos sitting out on the counter waiting for Jensen to use proclaiming, ‘my fangs are bigger’ and the vampire had to snort at that. He had a thermos full of blood by the time Jared shuffled into the kitchen. He seemed to be waiting for Jensen to say something but Jensen was at a loss as what to say to the man.  
Jared finally broke the silence, blurting out, “Do you fall asleep or do you die during the day?”  
Jensen choked on a mouthful of blood and he had to wipe a dribble of it from the corner of his mouth as he watched Jared. “What?”  
“You know what I’m like when I shift and I know hardly anything about you.” Jared turned away from Jensen and headed back into the living room clicking the television off. “You saw me when I was most vulnerable and you didn’t attack me. You followed me the entire night to make sure I was safe. I think it’s time I give you the benefit of the doubt, to stop being afraid of what might happen. You’re not going to eat me if I sleep at night and I can trust you. So do you die or do you sleep?”  
“Sleep,” Jensen answered automatically. “The sun just makes me extremely tired and I have to sleep.”  
“I like the night better,” Jared answered with a shrug. He turned the television back on and scrolled through the TiVo menu and picked a rerun of Alaska State Troopers, “You’re not missing out on much. The sun causes cancer and makes humans do some real crazy shit.”  
Jensen snorted and watched as a guy walked down the street in his underwear and a pair of boots. “Please tell me he’s drunk?”  
Jensen nudged Jared over and ignored the heat of the panther’s skin against his as he leaned back against the couch cushions. “Oh god, please tell me he’s drunk Jared. No sane man, even here in Louisiana would walk down the side of a road in a pair of boots and a pink bathrobe.”  
“He’s drunk,” Jared grinned at Jensen’s mock horror. “Completely tossed.”  
“Thank god,” Jensen mumbled as he set his empty thermos on the coffee table. He looked over at Jared and frowned. He had been so careful not to be seen last night during the moon and Jared had known he was there. “How’d you know I was there last night?”  
Jared tapped his nose, “The nose knows best.”  
“So I smell,” Jensen frowned and looked at Jared.  
“I didn’t say you smelled bad,” Jared shrugged, “I just, I could smell something and I had to find it. I barely caught a glimpse of you, just your skin or maybe a shirt, but this morning when you woke me up I knew for sure what I was chasing after.”  
“Huh,” Jensen watched Jared out the corner of his eye. The panther shifted uncomfortable where he sat before giving up and sprawling along his end of the couch and leaning on Jensen for support. Jensen chuckled, “Make your self comfortable.”  
“That was the plan,” Jared answered.  
“The guys will probably be by to check on you tomorrow.”  
“I figured,” Jared shrugged but smirked remembering the way he had three wolves chasing him around the woods last night. The three wolves teased him with loud yips and darting around him in tandem until he climbed up a tree and settled on branch. His tail swished teasingly at them below him saying he was the better were. “They’re really good people.”  
“Who? Chris, Steve and Chad?” Jensen turned to face Jared on the couch.  
“Yeah,” Jared ran his fingers through his hair. ‘They’re crazy as hell when they’re wolves but they’re something else.”  
“Eh, I don’t know about Chad,” Jensen threw up his hands when Jared swatted at him. “Okay, they’re all pretty awesome.”  
“You too,” Jared whispered just low enough Jensen had to strain to hear the panther as he stood up and disappeared into the kitchen and to his laptop to write. He wasn’t sure what to think of that but he really wanted to tell Jared he thought the same of him.

Jared had been on a roll with what he had been writing the night before so sleep wasn’t on his list of things to do, at least not until he finished this chapter. He could see it unfolding right at his fingertips. It would be done in a matter of pages. A plate of lasagna slid across the countertop to rest next to the keyboard of his laptop and he stared at it curiously.  
“You should eat.” Jensen’s voice was soft as he pulled a chair directly across from Jared and sipped at his thermos of blood and watched as Jared picked at the warm pasta before he went back to what he was working on. “Should I tell the guys that we can’t do Zombie night tonight?”  
“I’ll be finished before they get here.” Jared waved Jensen’s concern off as his fingers flew over the keys.  
“Are you going to be awake for it?” Jensen questioned.  
“Are you trying to distract me?” Jared smirked up at Jensen.  
“I’m trying to get you to eat, man.” Jensen held his hands up in surrender, “That’s all.”  
“You worry far too much,” Jared muttered and Jensen sputtered in shock.  
“Worry? Me?” Jensen groaned and placed a hand over his heart. “I don’t think I worry half as much as you do. Plus, it’s kind of part of me to worry about you.”  
“Really now,” Jared made a few clicks and was closing his laptop and shuffling the notes he had made into a neat pile obviously given up on writing for the night. He shoveled a forkful of lasagna in his mouth waiting for Jensen to elaborate.  
“Really,” Jensen’s tapped the top of Jared’s hand before standing to wash his thermos out. “You might want to finish that up or the invaders are going to eat us out of house.”  
‘They just like how I cook better than you,” Jared said cheekily and ducked beneath Jensen’s hand to avoid the swat.  
“Well if you’re so great at cooking,” Jensen grabbed packages of popcorn out of the cabinet and set them out on the counter. “Then you can make the popcorn later.”  
“Oh, that’s bullshit.” Jared grumbled already crowding Jensen in search of bowls for the popcorn and tearing the plastic wrapping off the popcorn. “You just don’t like the smell of the microwave after you’ve made your dinner.”  
“Too true,” Jensen pressed his lips together to stop himself from laughing at the outrage that crossed Jared’s face.  
“Oh, you little shit,” Jared pushed at Jensen’s shoulder.  
“That’s all you’ve got?” Jensen taunted starting up into the hazel eyes that seemed to grow darker with every second that passed. “A flimsy little shove?”  
“I’ll show you a flimsy little shove,” Jared knocked Jensen back against the counter sending the popcorn bags skittering off onto the floor. Jensen’s eyes went dark at the show of force, at the way Jared’s breath seemed to deepen and the way his fingers clinched around his wrist and shoulder.  
Jared leaned in closer to the vampire, taking in shallow breaths, his nose barely pressing along Jensen’s cheek and dragging down to his neck where the scent grew stronger, heartier. He felt the way Jensen angled his neck back and Jared’s beast let out a purr at the unconscious sign of submission. His hands moved to Jensen’s hip, fingers curling around the denim and cotton begging to feel the skin beneath.  
Heavy raps against the door broke Jared from his exploration. He swallowed down the urge to ignore whoever was at the door and he looked down at Jensen’s darkening eyes as he slowly backed away from the vampire. “I should probably get that.”  
Jensen nodded, still not sure how to find his voice. He bent to scoop up the mess they made and ignoring it in favor of grabbing another packet of blood and a new thermos. Having the panther that close, touching him like that made him want. He didn’t need that kind of confusion in a room full of werewolves.  
Jared’s sudden burst of laughter was like fingertips brushing along his spine. He took a large swallow of blood before he focused on the popcorn. Anything that would keep him away from Jared a little longer, letting him cool down.  
“Dude, are you hiding out in here or something?” Chris propped himself up on the counter staring at the thermos next to Jensen’s hand and then pointedly looked at the one in the dish drainer. “Or are you just that hungry?”  
Jensen threw a kernel of hot popcorn at Chris and rolled his eyes when the wolf caught it with his mouth. “You want junk food for the night or you plan on getting kicked out early?”  
“What?” Chris looked at Jensen confused, his eyes narrowing a bit.  
“Exactly, shut the hell up.” Jensen slid the bowl over towards Chris. “Drinks are in the fridge.”  
“Someone’s snappy tonight,” Chris wiggled his eyebrows before grabbing the bowl and heading for the living room. Jensen wiped a hand across his forehead with a sigh. Jared was already getting the DVD player set up. They were just waiting for him.  
Jensen brought the second bowl of popcorn in along with a coke for Jared in the crook of his elbow along with his thermos. Jared was sprawled out on the only couch that had any space left. “Move it or lose it.”  
Jared scooted back and grabbed the coke from Jensen before hitting play. He grinned when Jensen sputtered. “We’re watching zombie sheep? For true?”  
“It was Chad’s turn to pick apparently,” Jared smirked over at the baffled vampire.  
“You know it’s got to be either seriously messed up shit or really funny.” Chad tossed a handful of popcorn at Jensen’s disgusted face. “Just snuggle up with your best friend and enjoy like usual.”  
Both Jared and Jensen flipped him the bird and ignored the manic cackling that came from Chad.  
Halfway through the movie Jensen felt Jared’s body slump further into the couch and seconds later the panther’s face was pressed against his shoulder and the warm puffs of Jared’s breaths dancing along Jensen’s neck. Jensen moved the half eaten bowl of popcorn to the floor and stretched his legs out to prop up on the coffee table. Jared gave a huff of annoyance at the fact that Jensen moved but was just fine crowded against the vampire.

The house smelt different when Jensen woke up. Making his way towards the kitchen it was all he could do not to take in large breaths of it in. The scent was wilder; almost as if someone had left the windows open after a hard rain. It smelled like heaven. Rubbing the heels of his hands over his eyes he spotted Jared leaning against the counter with his throat thrown back laughing at something Chris said to him. His clothes clung to him with sweat and Jensen ignored the way his mouth ached heading straight for the fridge.  
“What’s going on here?”  
Jared grinned long and slow at Jensen’s sleep ruffed hair before answering, “Chris was kind enough to go with me on a run.”  
Chris was still trying to catch his breath while gulping down water, “Dude can run. I thought it was just because we were so close to the moon he was fast but shit.”  
Jensen quirked a brow as he set about heating his blood. He didn’t even bat an eye when Jared plucked out a Batman design for him. He just finished up and started sipping from it. Chris shook his head at the two of them. “Why the sudden urge to run?”  
“Don’t know,” Jared looked down at the floor, his hair covering his eyes before he looked back up at Jensen, “I just needed to get out for a little while; too much energy buzzing around.”  
Jensen licked his lips and nodded with wide eyes, “Okay.”  
“Yeah, whatever that means,” Chris rolled his eyes towards Jensen before playfully shoving at Jared. “So is it cool if I take off? Me and Steve have plans.”  
“Yeah, thanks for stopping by,” Jared clapped Chris over the shoulder. “I appreciate it man and tell Steve we said hi.”  
“Will do, see you later Jennybean.”  
“It’s Jensen!” Jensen hollered at the door ignoring the chuckles coming from Jared. He turned to face Jared and rolled his eyes, “So you had a good run?”  
“Definitely,” Jared nodded, “There’s just something about when day turns to night that makes being out there so much better.”  
Jensen hummed as Jared moved around the kitchen, chugging down a bottle of Gatorade. Jensen eyed the long line of throat that Jared left exposed. He watched a bead of sweat glide along the skin before stopping at the scar smooth skin of Jared’s throat and he wanted to taste the skin there, he felt the need to mark the panther as his own instead of what he was seeing.  
“Jensen,” Jared waved a hand in front of his eyes, “You alive in there?”  
He pressed a hand over his lips and nodded, “Yeah, just got lost in my mind for a minute there. What’s up?”  
“Nothing,” Jared narrowed his eyes, “I’m going to take a shower real quick.”  
“Good idea man,” Jensen scrunched his nose up, “You stank.”  
Jared’s mouth dropped in shock before he shoved Jensen in the shoulder and heading towards his room hollering, “You know you love the smell of panther after a vigorous run!”  
The vampire shook his head as he sunk down into the couch. The problem with that was he really did like the smell of Jared. He liked it a little too much for comfort. He bit down on his bottom lip and flipped through the channels before giving in to temptation and scrolling through the TiVo menu to find the latest episode of Alaska State Troopers. He left the episode paused and slumped further into the couch. He could hear Jared singing out of tune in the shower.  
Jared was different from when he first met the panther. He was wound so tight and now he let things happen as they would. He was happy here. Happier than he had been when he first arrived. He always had a laugh or a smile at the ready, willing to talk while he worked on whatever the hell he was working on.  
“You know,” Jared thumped Jensen on the back of his ear, “For my protector you get lost inside of that brain of yours sometimes.”  
Jensen nearly jumped out of his skin, a hand coming up to cover his ear as he watched Jared’s grin turn into a bright white smile as he sprawled out on the couch next to him.  
“Awe, you waited for me to start the new episode.” Jared placed his hands over his heart and gave a sappy smile, “You really are the sweetest.”  
Jensen shoved Jared back to his side of the couch, “Shut up.”  
Jared’s lips curled upwards and Jensen had to sit on his hands to stop himself from reaching out and touching Jared.

Their days went like that. The evenings started with Jared coming back from a run with one of the guys and spending the rest of the night hanging out with Jensen. There were soft touches, sleepy smiles and the sound of Jared’s typing the kept Jensen company while he slept during the day. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could take it, not having Jared the way he wanted.  
The week before the second full moon came around and Jensen was at a loss as what to do for Jared. The panther was climbing up the walls with so much energy no amount of running or work could calm the beast under his skin.  
Jared didn’t sit still even when he was working. He shifted in his seat, he tapped his foot on the rungs of the chair until Jensen was pulling him away from the laptop.  
“What are you doing?”  
“Helping you,” Jensen shoved Jared towards his room, “Change your clothes. You’re going for a run.”  
“That hasn’t helped,” Jared whined but let Jensen lead him down the hallway and into his room. He watched the vampire dig through his dresser for a pair of shorts and socks before he pressed them to Jared’s chest.  
“You were running with wolves. While they are fast they can’t run like I can.” Jensen left Jared’s room without looking back and headed towards his the change. When he was finished Jared was rocking back and forth on his heels in the living room waiting for him. “You ready?”  
“Let’s do this,” Jared nodded stretching his legs out for a moment and Jensen was moving before he could take a breath. He pushed off the porch behind the vampire and felt his muscles already straining to catch up with Jensen. He felt his skin warming under the humidity of the night as he tracked Jensen through the trees. Jensen got further ahead of him until he couldn’t see him any longer and was following the vampire based on sound alone. Jared wasn’t sure how long he was following behind the vampire before he completely lost Jensen.  
He had rested his hands on his knees when he heard the rapid footsteps coming from his side. A pair of hands shoved him to the ground and Jared was looking up at Jensen who was already jogging backwards. His face was flushed and he was grinning down at Jared, “Thought you had too much energy. You can’t be giving up on me now, I’ve only just started.”  
Jared scrambled up off the ground ignoring the dirt that caked his knees and tore off after Jensen’s laughter that echoed through the trees. His fingers dug along the bark of pine trees as he propelled himself farther and faster. His legs burned as he spotted Jensen rounding the trunk of a tree and he slipped along the dried pine nettles tumbling to the ground.  
He didn’t know why but seeing Jensen fall so hard had him running harder and sliding to his knees next to Jensen who was staring up at the stars laughing so hard he was crying. Jared planted a hand on Jensen’s chest and felt himself laughing right along with Jensen.  
“You okay man?” Jared managed to sputter out and Jensen nodded as he covered Jared’s hand with his own. His fingers knocked the dirt loose and settled between the grooves of Jared’s fingers.  
“I’m good. I think the question is, are you okay? You don’t seem to be jumping out of your skin anymore.”  
Jared licked his lips and smiled down at Jensen, “You always seem to help me even when you think you can’t.”  
Jensen’s grip on his hand grew tighter and he closed his eyes with a soft smile on his face. They stayed that way until Jensen let out a sigh and was pressing up against Jared, his hands cupping Jared’s face and his lips only a breath away from the panther’s. “Dawn will be here soon.”  
“Then we should head back,” Jared’s eyes were flicking back and forth between Jensen’s darkening eyes and his lips. He really didn’t want to move. More than anything he wanted to give in and taste what had been offered but he felt his control slipping. Instead he tilted his head down. His nose pressed down along Jensen’s cheek until he was resting his face in the crook of the vampires’ neck taking in deep breaths of the intoxicating scent. He could taste the spice, the earth on the back of his tongue as his lips pressed against where Jensen’s pulse would have been. Instead of cool skin he found heat burning against his lips.  
Jensen’s hand laced through Jared’s hair, gripping tight as he pulled the panther’s face back and he noticed the bright amber eyes. Jared’s lips were parted and Jensen tore away from the panther. He pulled away from the overwhelming need to claim the panther, to mark him for everyone to see Jared was his. He let out a wild moan, giving in he tugged Jared’s lips to his.  
Jensen swallowed down a wild growl as he pressed in closer to Jared. He grinned against Jared’s lips as the panther’s fingers dug into his shoulders. He let Jared roll them and stared up into wild eyes, “Jen…”  
“I,” Jensen licked his lips, his eyes flicking between Jared’s eyes, the flush of his skin and the cherry red of his lips while he tried to figure out what to say to him but he couldn’t think of anything other than he wanted more. He wanted to feel more than the warm skin of Jared’s arms beneath his fingers. He wanted to taste more than just his lips. He wanted everything with Jared.  
Jared had never seen Jensen so unsure of what to say or do about something until now. He wanted to make it better, to make it easier for Jensen. He cupped Jensen’s face and pressed his forehead against the vampire’s, their lips barely a breath apart. He smiled at the way it felt tucked up tight against Jensen, the way his body grew warm and the way his beast purred in satisfaction. “Sometimes you just have to stop thinking.”  
Jensen’s lips pressed against Jared’s in a happy laugh. His fingers curled through Jared’s hair, “Let’s get home before we can’t continue this later.”

 

Sleep wasn’t on Jared’s mind the hours leading up to the moon. In all honesty the only thing he could think of was the vampire sleeping a few doors down the hall from where he was sitting. His fingers danced along the counter tops as he searched out a thermos for Jensen to use. He moved around the house, a tennis ball in hand as he replayed the morning over and over again.  
Thwap…thwap…twap…  
He swallowed down the anxiety that was pressing along his skin as paced from window to window. The pressure of the moon, the possibility of Jensen thinking what happened was mistake. He didn’t want Jensen to think it was a mistake. Spending time with Jensen had been the happiest Jared had ever been. Even if they just watched crappy television or it turned into what had happened this morning. He didn’t ever think he could have something like that, something that made him want to live again and Jensen did that. He wanted a life with Jensen.

 

Jensen woke to a house that was far too quiet than he liked. He was used to having Jared bumbling around the house when he woke up. He walked through the empty house and spotted the thermos that Jared had set out for him and smiled. He wanted Jared to be home with him, not stuck out in the woods with a bunch of wolves during a full moon.  
Filling the thermos full of blood Jensen locked the house and headed to where he knew Jared would be. He could hear the distant howling, the squawks from the first moments of a change. He tipped the rest of his meal back and dug the bottom of the steel thermos down in the moist soil. He needed to find Jared.  
As Jensen made his way through the woods and closer towards where the weres shifted he could hear the sounds of paws pounding over moist soil and leaves, starting the night’s run. He moved quicker and farther ahead of the wolves knowing Jared would be further away from them.  
He didn’t have wait long before Jared was running across his view. Sleek muscles and wide paws pushed ahead of the rest of the wolves as he bounded between trees. Damp black fur caught and reflected bits of moonlight as he moved and Jensen ran to keep up with the panther. Jensen ran, watching Jared he was half in awe of how much grace and power was contained within. The thought of how beautiful Jared really was in both human and panther forms curled to the forefront of Jensen’s mind.  
Jensen slowed to as stop as Jared did. He tilted his head curiously as he heard the rumbling purr and found himself standing feet away from the amber eyed panther. He waited as the panther moved closer before rubbing against his thighs, nosing against his hip and playfully nipping at his fingers. After a few minutes of the panther winding around him, Jensen finally gave into the urge to run his fingers along the panther’s flank. Jensen let out a laugh when Jared’s purr grew louder and the panther flopped onto his side and looked up at Jensen expectantly. His tail flicked in the air lazily as Jensen settled on the ground next to him.  
“So this is what you do when you’re happy?” Jensen muttered as his ran his hands over Jared’s back, scratching behind his ears. “You just lay around like a lazy cat?”  
Jared gave a huff before resting his head on Jensen’s thigh. A paw rested by Jensen’s foot, “Apparently.”

 

Jared padded through the house with a tennis ball in hand as he tried to ignore the silence that seemed to follow him throughout the day. He woke up late with the sun warming his skin and a Winn-Dixie bag of his clothes by his side so he knew Jensen had been there waiting for him. This time Jensen didn’t wake him before dawn and to be honest it scared him that Jensen wasn’t there with him. It scared him that maybe Jensen thought everything through. Jensen actually thought about the dangers of actually being with someone like him. A vampire and a were? It was just a recipe for disaster. Why did he let himself think anything would come of it? It was stupid.  
“You think way too loud.” Jensen muttered as he padded into the kitchen already intent on making a thermos full of blood. Jared looked out the window and finally noticed that it was dark out. “What were you thinking about anyway? You look like you’re about to bolt.”  
Jared watched Jensen smile at him before he took a sip from his thermos. Jared couldn’t hold back his laugher at the unicorn that was proudly on display on the thermos Jensen was drinking from. “Uh huh, laugh at my buddy here. See where that gets you.”  
“Where do you get these from?”  
Jensen shrugged, “Friends mostly. But I have to admit, I do have an addiction. When ever I see one in the store that no one is buying I have to get it.”  
“You feel sorry for the thermos that isn’t getting bought?”  
Jensen rolled his eyes, “At least I don’t run around with a spare tennis ball.”  
Jared looked down at this hand and gripped the ball tighter. “It’s an anxiety thing.”  
“What are you anxious about Jared?”  
Jared’s breath caught in his chest as Jensen set his cup down and wet his lips. Jensen moved around the counter that had been separating them and stopped inches away from Jared.  
“Are you going to tell me?” Jensen asked as he tilted his head back to look Jared in the eyes.  
“I thought,” Jared cleared his throat when Jensen curled his fingers through the belt loops of Jared’s jeans.  
“You thought…” Jensen prompted as he pulled Jared closer.  
“That maybe you,” Jared let out a deep breath as Jensen pressed a cool kiss to his jaw.  
Jensen muttered his next words in between soft kisses to warm skin, “That maybe I?”  
“Fuck it,” Jared tugged Jensen’s lips up to meet his. The kaleidoscope of sensations urged Jared closer. Jensen’s lips and his breath were cool against the heat of Jared’s. Soft kisses turned biting. Hands gripped and tugged Jared closer. It felt like he was drowning in Jensen until his beast pushed toward the surface.  
He pinned Jensen against the counter, his hands pressed flat on the granite surface under Jared’s. The vampire gave every ounce of control over to Jared when the panther pressed a muscled thigh against the growing ache, the need he had for more. He couldn’t help the way his hips ground against Jared’s or the way he pressed forward for the delicious heat that was pulsing off of Jared.  
The scent of rain, grass and earth filled him as Jared pressed white hot kisses along his throat, his tongue dipping out to taste skin as he moved. The moment Jared dragged his teeth across skin Jensen felt every muscle in his body weaken and his head drop back. A low moan work its way from his throat as Jared began to mark him with soft licks and sucks. His arms trembled the second Jared nipped at the delicate skin of his neck.  
Jared’s hands were at his hips holding him up, thumbs brushing at the skin just above his jeans. Jensen wanted more, needed to feel more of Jared against him. He mumbled the words out as he tugged at the worn fabric of Jared’s shirt. He wasn’t left wanting for long. Jared stepped back, tugging his shirt in a display of muscles were exposed to Jensen before he was moving backwards tugging Jensen towards his room.  
Each step they took was punctuated with hurried kisses and fingertips dancing along sensitive flesh. A soft gasp broke from Jensen’s lips as Jared knocked him into the bedroom door. The panther took his time getting them into the room. One hand resting on the doorknob, encasing Jensen there, Jared mapped out some of his favorite spots on Jensen. He took a moment to lick and tease the spot Jensen’s pulse would be if he were anything other than vampire before he gave a sharp nip to the spot. Jensen’s hips jolted in response. A breathy moan poured from his lips and dripped down Jared’s spine like honey.  
Jared knocked the door open shuffling Jensen across the plush carpet and towards the bed. Their knees brushing against each other, hands gripping at hips and shoulders until the bed halted their movement.  
Jensen had barely taken a breath before Jared was pushing him down onto the bed, nimble fingers undressed them and Jared was there. The panther’s fingertips traced patterns along Jensen’s side brushing up and over sensitive flesh before his lips were hovering just above Jensen’s. He arched up, his entire body rubbed against Jared’s as he sealed their lips together. The taste, the smell, the feeling of being connected with Jared was beyond intoxicating and Jensen wanted as much as he could take.  
Jensen pressed soft kisses along the scar marking Jared’s neck. The skin was smoother and warmer there. With every kiss he placed upon the skin, Jared let out soft breaths; his fingers weaved through Jensen’s hair holding the vampire in place.  
Heat tore through frozen veins stealing the breath from Jensen’s lips as he gazed up at Jared. He heard the growl escape Jared’s lips before the panther had tugged his head to the side and a sharp jolt of pain spider-webbed out from the delicate skin of his throat. The first moment he could, Jensen pressed his own lips against Jared’s neck, fangs tracing the place he wanted to taste more than anything. He felt Jared shudder against him. He heard the soft moan of pleasure escape Jared’s lips before he bit down. It was the sweetest nectar he had ever tasted. Heat soared through his belly, resting at his groin. Nothing would ever taste as good as Jared.  
Jared let out a wild growl before he was nudging Jensen’s legs wider, nosing his way up the vampire’s thigh. He laid soft bites at the soft skin as he inhaled the scent that was Jensen.  
Jared wrapped his lips around Jensen, his hands pressed down on his hips as he tasted, licked and hummed at the salty bitterness he could taste. His heart raced as Jensen’s fingers curled into the bed sheets, straining for more. With a soft breath, Jared pulled back and looked down at the wreck of a vampire that was spread out beneath him. He needed to have Jensen to be completely his and he couldn’t handle waiting any longer. Not with the way Jensen was staring up at him with dark black eyes and a fine sheen of sweat covering his body.  
Licking a long strip of flesh, from belly to sternum, Jared pressed upwards towards the nightstand hoping to find something better than spit to work Jensen open. Jensen read his mind, reaching up and rolling to grasp at a jar and thrust it into Jared’s hands.  
“Please,” The word was soft and barely audible to Jared but the fact Jensen was begging for it threw Jared further into his beast. The need to claim Jensen as his mate was overwhelming. He dipped his fingers into the lube and teased Jensen only for scant seconds before the vampire’s fingers were curling back into the sheets and his back bowing up from pleasure.  
“More,” Jensen rolled his head to look fully at Jared.  
Jared added another digit, and hastily worked the vampire until he couldn’t take it any longer. Positioning his hips against Jensen, he gave a slow and steady thrust into the vampire.  
Jensen’s lips dropped open, his hands coming to rest and dig into the flesh at Jared’s flesh as the panther rolled his hips and began to move. Each thrust was languid until Jensen couldn’t take the pace any longer. Using the fact he was a vampire to his advantage he shifted and moved until he was on Jared’s lap, setting the pace that he needed.  
Jared’s fingers dug into Jensen’s hips, his breathing stuttered as Jensen’s fingers dug into the flesh of his back. Jensen bared his neck has his body shuddered around Jared. The beast couldn’t resist the temptation Jensen had presented. He bit down, marking for everyone to see that Jensen was his just as they would see he was Jensen’s. They fell boneless against each other and the bed. Jared’s fingers idly tracing the mark he left and Jensen lapping at the closing wound.  
Lying breathless next to each other with their fingers tangled together Jared finally spoke. His voice was full of wonder while his eyes full of a sleepy trust. “You make it okay to love again.”  
The words pulled at Jensen’s chest as he watched Jared doze off into a peaceful sleep. Something he would have never expected the panther to have done months ago.

Jared woke up to a room that was darker than normal. It was nearing evening if the clock on his bedside table was anything to go by but his room shouldn’t have been that dark even if it were storming outside. Rubbing his eyes clear of sleep he felt a hand drop from his side as he sat up. It was in those few moments that he took in the quilts that had been tucked tightly over the blinds of his room and that Jensen was still lying in bed with him. The amount of trust that Jensen had placed on him had Jared’s heart beating faster in his chest.  
He pressed a soft kiss to Jensen’s forehead before grabbing the closest pair of pants and started towards the living room. He paused at the sight of Jensen’s wrinkled shirt on the floor, his eyes watering from the thoughts Jared believed he’d never have get to have again.  
The vampire had given him a chance, taught him so much in the past few months. Jared felt the things that he never thought were possible again; hope, love and peace swelled in his chest. Jensen brought so much into his life.  
“What are you thinking about?” Jared spun around to see Jensen standing deeper in the shadows of the room with a sleepy smile on his face. Checking the time Jared rolled his eyes. Of course Jensen would be stubborn. There was still an hour to sunset. He watched Jensen make his way over and stop toe to toe with him. Jensen tilted his head back and Jared caught sight of his mark on pale flesh before Jensen sealed their lips together in a languid kiss. Jared pulled the vampire closer, reveling in their mixed scents as Jensen pressed a final kiss to his lips. His eyes were soft and his voice rough, “Are you going to tell me what you’re thinking about or will I have to figure it out myself?”  
Jared felt his lips curl into a smile he couldn’t control, “I was thinking about how lucky I was to have you.”  
“You aren’t the lucky one,” Jensen whispered as dark lashes brushed against the warm skin of Jared’s cheek, his lips a breath from Jared’s ear, “I am.”

Epilogue

Jared tilted his head back and inhaled the night time air. Everything about the evening was perfect. Jensen’s hand rested idly on his thigh as conversation twisted and twirled around him. Laughter brushed against his skin and the smells of the café made him feel that much more alive.  
It isn’t where he pictured himself, not in this lifetime. In love with a vampire, friend who he could never imagine not having and an actual home that felt safe.  
The cool presence of Jensen’s hand against his wrist brought Jared from his musings. He looked around the table and noticed the beignets and the coffee that had been placed before him along with a thermos at Jensen’s place. Everyone was staring at him. Chad’s head tilted with a sappy grin on his face while Chris and Steve had raised eyebrows.  
“What?” Jared grinned at them despite not knowing what was going on. He looked over at Jensen who was shaking his head in amusement.  
“Just glad you’re making it out of the batcave these days,” Chad shrugged.  
“And wondering what’s going on in your head to get a look like that,” Chris pointed and tried to mimic Jared but only managed to get a twisted smile and a far away look before everyone at the table laughed.  
“So, you gonna share?” Jensen turned towards Jared with a soft smile on his lips waiting for Jared to say something. Instead Jared surprised him with a soft kiss to the lips. They ignored the gagging noises across the table as Jared settled back into his seat, his fingers intertwined with Jensen’s.  
“Just thinking about how I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you guys.” Jared shrugged. “How happy I am now.”  
“Awe,” Steve grinned at Jared while Chris mimed gagging until the other wolf elbowed him in the gut.  
“Dude,” Chad held out a hand and narrowed his eyes, “I think what you meant to say is, ‘I wouldn’t be here without Chad and his most awesome driving skills’ right?”  
Jared looked around the table and rolled his lips together to not laugh at the wolf sitting across from him. “That’s exactly what I meant Chad.”  
“Thought so,” Chad bite a chunk out of a beignet before pointing the fluffy bread across the table at Jensen and Jared. “My driving skills, my gift of tennis balls and the lovely little bit of heaven at your fingertips. Don’t you forget it!”


End file.
